Forged from Ice
by KellyShepard087
Summary: From Death to rebirth and on through a new exploration of self through new friends and old. Follows the story of Mass Effect 2. Second in the 'Life and Love Go On' trilogy.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Hey there! Got the new stuff for ya. Gonna be a fun ride, hope you guys enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing it.

Enjoy! Read and review please!

Sequel to Billet of the Anvil. Following the story of Mass Effect 2. Left of canon with OCs and canon characters.

Mass Effect 1, Kelly Shepard. Paragade Engineer, sole survivor, colony born, Wrex and Ashley killed in action, Council saved, Anderson appointed Councilor.

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The first thing Liara does, as soon as their escape pod is picked up by the SSV Morrigan, is to pop the hatch and burst out onto the cargo bay deck, eyes frantically counting the pods and anxiously waiting for them to open as she looks for Shepard.

Deunan follows behind her, putting a comforting hand on the asari's shoulder. "Easy does it Li. Give them time to orient themselves." The surviving crew of the Normandy slowly steps free of their pods, each one looking around in disbelief.

"She has to be here." Liara makes a beeline for the newest pod that comes in, the markings on the side show it to be the bridge pod. The door hisses open showing a shell shocked Joker still strapped into his seat.

Liara runs to the doorway bracing her hands on the frame as she looks in horror at the otherwise empty pod. "Where is she?" She rounds on Joker pressing the release on his harness she hauls him up by his shirt, crying out, "Where is she?"

Joker mutely shakes his head and sits back down shaking as Liara lets him go. A soft whimper escapes Liara before she clamps down her resolve to not believe what her eyes are telling her. She turns away from Joker and darts to the nearest pod, shoving crew members aside to look inside. She goes through three more pods before she comes across Tali who immediately jumps up to hug her.

"Liara, Keelah I am glad to see you." She pulls back seeing the tears that have begun to run down Liara's cheeks. "Liara? Where is Shepard?"

Deunan steps into the pod, helping to pull Tali and Liara out so the other people inside can step out. "We don't know. She hasn't come out of a pod yet."

Liara shrugs out of Deunan's hold making for another pod, part of her mind notices no more have come aboard since Joker's. She grabs one of the Morrigan's crew members that is walking around trying to take down everyone's names. "Have you seen the Commander? Are there any more pods out there?"

"I'm sorry miss." He responds, looking to Deunan and Tali waiting behind Liara expectantly, "The last of the pods are in. As for the Commander, you know as much as I do. I haven't come across her yet." He lays his hand on her shoulder, "Have hope. Don't give up." He turns to Deunan to get their names for his list before moving off to another pod and cluster of crew members.

"Li.." Deunan starts to say as the realization sets in for her, "Li, she's not here."

Liara turns on Deunan, fire in her eyes, she doesn't even notice the tears that still slide down her cheeks, "Don't say that. Don't.." She breaks down, crumpling to sit on the deck as it starts to sink in to her, "Please goddess don't.."

Deunan and Tali kneel down beside her, Tali hugging her tight, Deunan has a hard mask on her face to hide her own grief and disbelief as she says softly to Liara. "She's not here kid."

Liara cries out a soft wail , "It can't be true. She, she has to be here!" She pushes herself back to her feet, rehardening her resolve. "She has to be." She shrugs out of their hold again and sets off, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

"Shit." Deunan hisses vehemently. "We gotta go after her."

Tali stops her, putting a shaking hand on her arm. "Please, tell me she isn't gone."

Deunan's mask slips for a moment, showing sorrow for the young quarian. "I'm sorry." is all she says as she sets off into the crowd after Liara.

"Tali?" Tali turns, her sorrow momentarily forgotten as she sees Garrus coming towards her. Kaiden following behind. "Tali, what's happened?"

"Oh Garrus." She cries and flings her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. "It's Shepard, she's missing."

"Oh God." Kaiden says softly.

"It's true." Joker has come out of his pod, assisted by Chakwas, he's cradling his right arm to his chest. "I saw her. She.." he stops, gulping back his own grief, "She's gone."

"How?" Kaiden asks after a moment's long silence.

"The bridge, the ship came back for a second pass. It blew out the bridge. She..didn't make it to the pod. She hit the release and disappeared. I, I don't know what happened after.." he hangs his head, dejected and exhausted.

Chakwas looks to the others and just shakes her head, her eyes dark and heavy, the only emotion she is showing as she leads Joker away to a triage area set up for those needing medical attention.

"It can't be true. Can it?" Tali looks from Garrus to Kaiden and back towards the empty pod.

Garrus hugs her tight, "I don't know, Tali. I don't know."

"All we can do wait." Kaiden says looking out the long observation window along the side of the cargo hold. Out in the black the last remnants of the Normandy float silently in the gravity well of the planet, the larger pieces already pulled further down into the atmosphere.

"Wait and see. Search and rescue isn't done yet." Deunan says as she rejoins their small group, Liara is holding tight to her hand. Looking like a lost child almost, tear tracks down the thin layer of soot still on her cheeks and face from the fires onboard the Normandy.

"She'll turn up." Tali says softly stepping up to hug Liara tightly. Deunan releases her hand as Liara hugs Tali back. "She has to."

"She said she'd come back to me." Liara sinks down to the deck, resting her head on her drawn up knees. "She promised."

"I know." Deunan says clasping Liara's shoulder briefly. She looks up to the rest of the squad. "What all do we know? Any more news on Shepard?"

Garrus looks from Liara to Deunan and jerks his head slightly, indicating they talk behind the pod. Deunan nods silently and gives Tali a soft push down, silently suggesting she comfort Liara before she turns to follow Garrus.

As Garrus tells Deunan about what happened her hard mask settles into place as she nods, all business, her lips pursed tight. "This isn't gonna be easy for Liara to hear." She says, looking back towards Liara still sat on the deck, Tali's arm around her shoulders.

"Do we need to tell her?"

"She'll find out sooner or later. Best we tell her soonest." Deunan clasps Garrus' shoulder, "Thank you for telling me. Someone needs to inform the crew as well."

"Do we even have a list of the, missing yet?" Deunan doesn't miss his pause on 'missing' knowing he, as well as she, doesn't want to admit to the deaths yet.

"There's a fellow moving around taking names. Hopefully soon we can speak with someone in charge and further organize this mess." She turns away from him, starting back towards their group. "C'mon, let's break the news to her."

Garrus' only reply is a heavy sigh as he falls in step behind her.

"Liara?" Deunan says as she kneels down in front of the asari.

Liara lifts her head, her eyes hopeful despite the tears that have slid down her cheeks. "Have we heard anything yet? Did they find her?"

Deunan sighs softly taking Liara's hand in hers she decides simplest is best, short and to the point. "No one is going to find her, kid. She's gone. Joker says she didn't make it to the pod, the bridge depressurized and she flew out. No one is going to find her out in the black."

Liara chokes back a sob, squeezing Deunan's hand tightly in hers she fights back the cries of anguish that threaten to break from her. "It can't be.." she whispers softly, her voice cracking, "Please tell me it's not true." She looks up at the faces of her friends and knows that it is true, that her love is gone. Lost to the black of space.

The tears she fought back burst forth as she cries out "Please, Goddess no!" Tali hugs her tight as the tears and sobs wrack her body, her heart breaking, shattering. She doesn't know what to do or think. All she knows is pain, this awful dark pain.

"She's gone."Kaiden says, kneeling down to comfort Liara, putting his hand on her shoulder. His voice breaks as he says, "Shepard is gone."

Garrus and Deunan stand stoically, their eyes showing the only sign of their own grief as they watch and wait for news from the Morrigan's crew on what happens next. The cargo bay is an eerie hushed silence, full of survivors that wait in shock over what has happened, wait to hear words on their friends and crewmates still missing, wait for absolution that may never come.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: Hello! Thanks for the wonderful views and reviews, I really appreciate them!

Got another rough chapter for you guys, hope you enjoy.

* * *

Deunan stands at the doors to the chapel on Arcturus station, looking in at the plain black casket at the far end of the small room, its simple blue Alliance flag a stark contrast. The service will start soon and she is still finding it hard to cope with the official declaration that Shepard is dead.

It's been two weeks since the attack, no one knows yet what the ship was that attacked them. As soon as the Normandy was destroyed it disappeared. The official reports say it was a geth dreadnaught that was responsible. But with all the geth retreated back behind the perseus veil again, no one can know for sure. The surviving crew were all in too much shock to accurately recall what it was. Many that were on the bridge and would have seen the vessel were among the dead. Only a scant few survived from the CIC, none but Joker from the bridge itself.

She looks at the front row, reserved for the crew of the Normandy and those in Shepard's squad. It occurs to Deunan that none of them, Garrus, Tali, Liara and herself, were ever made official members of the crew. Just tagalongs. All the crew treated them as equals though and that's all that matters to her. She sighs as she steps into the chapel, seeing Joker seated in the front row, his right arm in a sling from a break. He blames himself for her death, hasn't spoken much since he told them what had happened. His testimony was the Alliance's final say in declaring the commander killed in action. They spent days combing through the wreckage that wasn't caught up in the planet's gravity and atmosphere. Nothing was ever found. Nothing. She wasn't the only one caught out in space. The pull of the planet was strong and it had pulled anything and almost everything down and burned it in atmo.

The commander's is the last in a long string of memorial services. All with empty caskets. All for someone who died much too soon for Deunan's taste. As a former marine and as a mercenary she accepts death for when it comes. But all the deaths, Shepard's excluded, were for sailors. Ship crew that didn't sign on for short deaths.

"Deunan, good, you're here." Anderson's voice gets her attention and she tears her gaze away from the casket and to Anderson as she walks quickly down the aisle of the chapel.

"Yes, sorry on the delay, sir, counselor." She stumbles over what to call him, considering he's an Alliance captain and the Citadel Counselor for the entire human race.

He clasps her shoulder lightly, "It's alright, understandable." She scowls momentarily, annoyed that he'd seen her moment of weakness.

"We're all here?" She asks, redirecting the conversation. She extends her hand to shake Admiral Hackett's as she comes level with him, seeing the others, Kaiden and Garrus waiting stoically beside the casket.

"Yes, Ms. Knute." Hackett responds to her as he returns her handshake. "My condolences for your loss. I understand you knew the commander well."

"Yes sir. We knew each other when she started out in the Alliance, before her N7 training."

"She was lucky to find you again. Old friends are best together until the end."

"Yes sir." She replies simply. Wishing he'd get to their duties already.

"Right. As her honor guard you just need to be by her side the whole service. With the exception of you Anderson. As her captain and the Counselor, you have your duty to speak a few words."

"Yes Admiral. I have them prepared. We're all ready." Anderson responds.

"Very well then." Hackett nods and four of them stand at a corner each of the casket. Kaiden and Garrus to the backside being the tallest, Anderson and Deunan to the front. She smooths her hand over the plain black jacket she wears over a borrowed suit. For the first time since she left the Alliance she regrets it knowing she should be standing here in dress blues as the others are. Even Garrus is wearing the Turian equivalent to formal dress uniform.

Kaiden clasps her shoulder from behind her and murmurs. "She knows what this means, even without your dress blues." She bites her lip, glad he can't see her face as she nods. As she sees the mourners begin to enter the chapel she closes her eye momentarily to reset her mask, to hide her emotions again. She lasts well as they all find their seats. A few approach the casket like Chakwas, Tali, and Engineer Adams, they each touch it and say a prayer before going to their seats.

As the marine private begins to play Taps, Deunan sees Liara enter the chapel. She is dressed in a long dark purple dress, it covers her from neck to wrists, and she is carrying a small bouquet of cherry blossoms and a single violet rose. As she reaches the casket she lays her hand carefully on it, her fingers touching the edge of the flag, Deunan notices that the color of her skin matches the blue of the Alliance flag draped there. As the taps come to an end a sob breaks from Liara and the flowers drop to the deck. Deunan desperately wants to comfort her, but Tali is there first, taking Liara around her shoulders, guiding her to their seats in the front row.

Hackett steps to the podium speaking a few words of gratitude and praise of Shepard. Praising her accomplishments in the Alliance. "She was an extraordinary woman who rose to the needs of extraordinary times. She will be greatly missed" He finishes, stepping down and signalling Anderson forward.

"Commander Shepard was more than the amazing feats she performed over the last several months. She was a woman of unique qualities, a certain drive and passion she shared with all those around her. All who knew her knew she had her tempers, her stubbornness, and her sense of humor. All of these defined her, something she never let her past do. Instead she forged her own path in her life and has left a deep hole in our hearts that will never be filled. She was a beacon of light and life for all who knew her." he clears his throat and steps back to his corner of the casket.

The private begins to play Amazing Grace as Hackett gives the order for them to fold the flag. Each of their moves is crisp and sharp. Smoothly, carefully folding it up. They hand it to Deunan who reverently carries it over to Liara, she kneels down and presses it into the asari's hands. Liara strokes it softly, not really seeing it or Deunan. She steps back, looking sadly down on Liara before she returns to her corner of the casket.

"Atten-hut." Anderson barks out as the trumpet falls silent again. Every Alliance personnel in the room snaps to attention. Deunan and Garrus as well. Anderson turns to the right, looking to a squad of seven N7 marines lined up. "Ready." He commands. The marines set their rifles to their shoulders. "Aim. Fire." they fire off a volley of blanks. The shots ringing out as one. "Ready," Anderson orders again, "Aim. Fire." a second volley of shots rings out. "Ready." he orders one last time, "Aim. Fire." The third and final shot rings out, Deunan sees Liara jump slightly, clenching the flag tight to her chest. "Atten-hut!" Anderson barks out again. The marine squad snaps their rifles to their sides and salute sharply. The personnel in the room echo the salute.

As Hackett gives the order for them to carry the casket, Deunan, Kaiden, Anderson, and Garrus each pick up their corner. Steadily, reverently carry it to the launch tube. Setting it on the rails Deunan looks back to see Liara watching them intently, her eyes transfixed on the casket.

Deunan sighs softly and turns back to the console. She knows it is her responsibility to end this, to make this final, for all their sakes if not her own. Her finger hovers over the button hesitating. She steels herself to say goodbye to her friend. Even knowing the casket is empty, the symbolism is still there and letting go is not easy. Taking a deep breath and hoping no one has noticed her hesitation she presses the small button and releases the casket into space.

She whispers a farewell for only Shepard's ears. "Rest well in the arms of your goddess, Kelly. Trickster bless your memory." The sleek pod quickly vanishes in the black of space.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authir's Note:**Attack of insomnia is good for you guys. Early chapter release!

Enjoy, R&R please!

* * *

A week after the service sees Deunan, Liara, and Tali in the docking ring of Arcturus station. Each carries a boarding pass on different ships. The last three of their squad to part ways. Kaiden was given new orders the day after the service, Garrus left for Palaven a couple days ago, saying there was work he needed to do.

Liara hugs Deunan, holding her tight, "I'm going to miss you. I wish you'd come to Ilium with me."

"Trust me, Ilium is much too tame for my tastes." Deunan gives a small laugh, briefly smiling and hugging Liara back before stepping back, more serious, "No, it's back to the merch's life for me. I've got a few job offers out in the Terminus. What about you Tali, where's the verse taking you?"

"I think it's time I return to the migrant fleet." Tali says, she looks down. "I need to see my family again, and it's time my pilgrimage ended. I've learned more than enough that I can share with my people."

"Returning the conquering hero then?" Deunan jokes, getting a light laugh from the quarian and a small smile from Liara, the first she's seen in weeks.

"With all we learned about the Geth I think the knowledge will be invaluable to my people. And with the skills," She pauses a moment before continuing, "With the skills Shepard taught me. I know I can help my people better repair and maintain our ships."

"You will do your people proud." Liara says, hugging the young quarian tight. "You know where I am if you ever need anything." She steps back and looks to Deunan, her voice kind but firm, "That goes for you as well. I owe you my life. Any way I can repay, you tell me."

Deunan clasps Liara's shoulder, "You owe me nothing. And I will try to stay in contact." Deunan grabs her seabag, half full of the few belongings she saved from the wreck of the Normandy and those necessities she has bought. "Time for me to go. You two take care." She turns and walks away, down the docks to her ship, not one for goodbyes.

"Goddess watch over you." Liara whispers after her.

"Keelah protect us all." Tali echoes Liara. "I have to go, my ship leaves soon."

Liara sighs softly and hugs Tali once more. "Alright, you stay safe Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya."

Tali holds tight to Liara a few more moments before she steps back, glad her mask hides her tears. "Take care of yourself Liara. May we see each other again some day."

The two women part ways, each to board their respective ships and leave Arcturus station and it's memories behind.

On a station of a different sort a tall black haired woman looks over the woman on the table in front of her. The pale skinned redhead has many tubes and wires connecting throughout her body, small red scars crisscross all over her skin, each one glowing faintly. "How do her vitals look, Wilson?"

"All within acceptable parameters." A small man answers, he is looking at a datapad as he responds, "Neuro activity looks good, having some small spikes, nothing to be alarmed about."

She reaches for the pad. "Let me see, there shouldn't be any spikes, she's too deeply sedated for more than minimum wavelengths."

Wilson hands over the datapad, glad to see the spikes subsided briefly. "Must've been a glitch in the system."

She hands the pad back to him, ordering, "Run the numbers again, make sure. We can't afford anything going wrong at this stage in the project. We're too close to completion."

"Yes, Miranda." He says gruffly, taking the pad and beginning to redo the tests again, grateful when Miranda turns away back to her desk. He glances warily back to her, to make certain she's not looking. Once she's sat at the desk he pulls out a syringe from his pocket, quickly injecting the drug directly into the bloodstream of the woman on the table. He leans over next to her ear to whisper, "No offense Shepard, but this is just good business for a hefty profit."

The woman's vitals begin to spike, alarms starting to go off as her heart rate, respiration, and neuro activity all go into the redzone.

"Oh my god," WIlson breaths, knowing he has to play the part as Miranda comes running over.

"What happened?" She orders him, quickly trying to hold Shepard still as the woman blinks her eyes open.

"I don't know, she just started waking up."

"Give her the sedative again." Miranda gently grabs Shepard hand and arm as she tries to lift it, "Shepard, don't try to move. Stay still."

Willis cries out, not even having given the sedative, "It's not working."

"Double the dose." Miranda looks to Shepard again, seeing the woman turn her head, eyes wide in pain as her stats continue to spike wildly.

"Still not working."

"Oh get out of the way." Miranda moves around the table, not missing Shepard's eyes following her. She pushes Wilson out of the way and administers the sedative at a triple dose. Immediately Shepard's vitals slow and drop back down to acceptable levels. Miranda looks into her deep amber eyes, as she slowly fades back into the deep slumber of the meds her eyes close. "Run those tests, find out why she woke up." Miranda snaps at Wilson. "That was too close, we almost lost her."

Wilson whistles softly, "That's one tough bitch.." Wilson curses inwardly at Miranda's quick thinking and Shepard's tough resilience.

"Run the tests." Miranda orders again as she steps up to the table looking down at Shepard.

Wilson sighs softly but sets about running her tests, vowing to find another way to kill Shepard when Miranda isn't around. The Shadow Broker is paying well for whoever makes it happen.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**Moving into the game now. Should be in recognizable territory. Again, this is left of cannon so changing up a couple small things that work better for story than for gameplay.

Sorry on not updating yesterday, had a long day at work.

Enjoy! R&R please!

* * *

"Commander Shepard, Shepard you need to wake up." A voice permeates the darkness that surrounds her, she knows the woman must be talking to her, but she can't find what she needs to do. Things feel slow and hazy. "Shepard, open your eyes. Wake up."

Eyes, yes, that's what's wrong. She slowly opens her eyes now she's found them, blinking away the light that shines brightly. "Shepard, that's it. wake up. You need to move." Shepard rolls onto her side, groaning from pain that radiates all over. Her skin itches and burns, muscles feeling a deep clenching ache. Even her bones seem to radiate pain. "I know it hurts, I'm sorry. We had to wake you early. Come on marine. you need to move, fast. I don't know how much longer I can stay on the line."

Shepard sighs softly as she uncurls closing her eyes again she pushes herself up to sit on the edge of the table. An IV tugs at her arm, she looks down to see a dermal braid attached to her right arm. She takes hold and gently tugs it free, ignoring the trickle of blood that flows where the needles come out.

"Shepard, you need to move, the station is under attack, I need to go. There's a pistol in the desk near you, you'll have to find thermal clips for it. Follow the evac signs, I'll meet you in the shuttle bay."

"Wait." Shepard croaks out, her voice hoarse and barely more than a whisper. She coughs to clear her throat and tries again. "Wait, Who are you?" Her voice is still hoarse but louder.

"Miranda Lawson. Now hurry. Move. Watch out for the-" static hisses across the line as it goes dead.

"Miranda?" Shepard carefully stands, when there's no reply she turns around on shaky legs and sees the desk set against one wall. She takes a few careful steps to the desk, her arms held out for balance. Weary to the bone from such a short movement, she leans against the desk with her hands gripping the edge. She gasps softly as she catches sight of them. Her long fingers and hands are nothing but skin and bone, deathly white with these strange hairline cracks in her skin, faintly glowing red. She warily touches one of them on her left hand, it feels like a scratch, small stinging pain radiating. She opens the drawer of the desk and pulls out the small hand pistol that is laying there.

She hefts it, glad for the light weight of it, unsure if she can handle anything heavy. She wonders what happened to her. The way her skin itches it reminds her of when she had a skin graph for a bad burn in her early days as a marine. So, she was badly burned. But how? When? She can't grasp details. she can barely remember bits and pieces, things keep shifting and moving. Shaking her head she moves toward the only door to the small sterile room.

The door opens swiftly at her touch opening to a hall outside going to her right, ending in another door. she spots a body crumpled against the far wall, someone in security maybe. He is wearing no armor but has an empty holster at his hip, a bullet wound through his chest. She kneels down carefully, trying to stay steady, her bare feet touching the still warm pool of blood around the man. She reaches into his pockets, finding a set of thermal clips. she draws them out. Investigating the body she sees a symbol on his uniform shirt, a six sided oval with an opening at the bottom and two framing bars on either side. It triggers something in her memory, but she can't place it. She shakes her head, a steady ache beginning to build behind her temples, standing up again she ratchets the thermal clips into her gun.

She turns and walks to the far door, still unsteady on her feet. She has to stop by the door, leaning against the wall to catch her breath.

"Shepard.." Miranda's voice comes back across the coms, static filled and broken up, "Beware...mech drones...someone's hacked.." she breaks into dead static again.

"Dammit." She swears as the line goes dead again. Mechs, mechs she can deal with. Hacked mechs shouldn't be too hard. She looks to her left arm out of habit and swears again when she sees her omnitool missing. She looks to her pistol as she pushes herself up off the wall. This is going to be tricky.

She palms the door open and steps into a wide, open room with a multitude of doors leading off of it. She only gets a moment's look before bullets rip into the bulkhead beside her. She throws herself behind a set of planter boxes, flinching away from shots that skirt off her cover, kicking up dust and dirt. She peers over in a pause in the firing. Seeing four mech drones across the way, under an emergency exit sign.

She gets the feeling someone does not want her alive or off this station. She takes aim and fires her pistol into the mechs. Aiming for their chests, not trusting her shaking arms to hit headshots.

She takes down two of the mechs before the remaining two open fire on her, forcing her to duck down again. She curses the plain grey scrubs she's wearing, she'd kill for some armor or even a shield generator right now. When the second break comes she stands and whirls around her cover, pistol up and firing as fast as she can as she walks forward, knocking down and back the two mechs. One's chest explodes from her hail of bullets, the second she takes out with a close range headshot.

Stepping up to the remnants she looks them over. Drones, mechs designed for personal security. She's impressed, she thought only the elite ever had such a thing. But then again, maybe they do. She still has no idea where she even is. This isn't an Alliance station, but other than that she has no idea.

She picks up more thermal clips, reloading her gun she steps through the open doorway into another hall. This one has a small office off to the left, she steps in and looks around. A small rotating holographic image catches her eye, an icon reading 'logs'. Curious she presses the button and listens to the log entry as she looks at the holo of a human woman spin.

It's in the woman, Miranda's, voice, talking about a subject responding well to cellular growth and bone reconstruction. She doesn't give a name. Maybe there are others in this facility, on this station. Other patients like herself. Shepard steps away from the console and back into the hall, continuing down she spots another body, a woman, half out of the doorway to a restroom. Stepping up Shepard examines the body. The young woman is a wearing a medic's uniform and is holding a datapad in her hand. Shepard looks over the pad, not able to understand all the medical jargon listed there, it's more reports on cell growth is all she does understand. What is this place? Cell growth is just medical theory as far as she knew.

She turns back toward the hall as the sound of alarm klaxons ring out. It brings back a flash of memory, fire, everywhere, ship alarms going off. Her heart races fast, causing her to grip the edge of a sink to hold herself up as the memory fades away again. What was it? Why can't she remember? She peers into a fragment of the mirror above the sink and gasps in shock.

The face looking back at her is both hers, and not hers. More of those red lines trace a lattice work across her features. Like faint tattoos. Her normal red hair is dark and washed out, hanging limp down her back and across her shoulders, impossibly long. She gathers it up, looking in awe at its length, she's never seen it so long before. She ties it into a quick knot to get it out of her face and looks back to the mirror. Her skin looks like ash turned leather. Both soft and brittle to the touch, it grips tight to over prominent bones. No fat layer, and barely any muscle mass to her body. What draws her attention most is the red glow of her eyes. Where her pupils should be they are dilated wide and glowing a faint red. Cybernetic implants. Only, her brown irises are still there, thin amber brown rings around the inner pupil. Cybernetic eyes do not have irises.

She backpedals from the mirror, scrambling away from the image, her heart racing again as she begins to shake. What's happened to her? She turns and flees from the room, trying to forget that image, the lines on her hands and arms a stark reminder she can't avoid.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**Hello, sorry for the delay. Was a busy week last week. Hope you guys enjoy this new chapter.

Enjoy! R&R please!

* * *

She pushes through the door at the far end of the hall and out into another large common area. There's a man there, a biotic, finishing off a few drones on the far side of the room.

When he sees her his eye widen in shock. "Shit, things must be bad if Miranda woke you."

She stares at him, he's tall and dark skinned. She stays at a distance, that symbol on his chest the same as before, it sparks recognition and wariness, but she still can't place it. "Who are you?" She asks, her voice still hoarse, but better.

"My name's Jacob, Jacob Taylor." He extends his hand to shake hers.

She takes it and shakes his hand briefly before drawing back. "Where am I? What's going on here?"

Shepard can see Jacob hesitate slightly before answering, "You're on the Lazarus Research Station. It's a medical research facility."

"Are there other patients here? How did I get here?"

"There's no one else. This whole project was created specifically to bring you back."

"Bring me back?" Shepard looks critically at him. "Bring me back from what?" she orders, her tone stern and demanding.

"I can't say, I've said too much already. Miranda can explain when we meet her."

Shepard scowls at him but can tell he won't say more, no matter how much she pushes. "She spoke to me when I woke up, said to meet her in the shuttle bay."

"Ok, that's this way. We'll have to fight our way through a few more mechs, but we aren't far. You'll need to stay behind me. I don't have any spare armor or a shield generator."

His prediction was not far off as their path was almost immediately blocked by more mechs. Between the two of them they quickly dispatch the mechs as they make their way through the station. They are midway down a long hall when a voice comes across the coms, a man, and he sounds frantic.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me? Is there anyone still alive out there?"

"Wilson?" Jacob asks incredulously. "Where are you? I thought you were dead. The medical wing was hit hardest."

"I escaped, barely." He replies, his voice is high pitched and panting, "I got hit in the leg, I can't make it to the shuttles, I need your help."

"I have Shepard with me, where's your position?"

"Shepard's alive?" Wilson sounds less than pleased at this, more shocked than anything. It gives Shepard a rotten taste in her mouth, something about him is off.

"Yeah, Miranda woke her up, we're in the D wing right now."

"I'm not far from you. I tried to take the access halls to avoid the mechs. I'm pinned down and can't get through."

"We'll come to you. Hang tight." Jacob points Shepard down the hall they're in. "If we go left at those doors it'll take us into the access halls."

"Alright, Let's go then. Who is Wilson?" She asks as they set off again.

"He's one of the top researchers. Worked directly under Miranda." They enter the access halls, the lighting is dark, the areas only illuminated by red overhead lighting. "This way, he shouldn't be too far in." Jacob takes the lead, leading her deeper into the halls.

Turning a corner they come across six mech drones. Jacob pushes her down behind a bank of pipes as the mechs open fire, she sees shots spark off of his shields and thanks his quick thinking. She can't help crying out as her shoulder hits the pipes hard, sending starbursts of pain down her arm, the shock knocking her pistol from her grasp and skirting across the floor. Jacob fires back, knocking down three before ducking into cover across from her.

"Are you alright?" He asks worried, he picks up her pistol that landed near him.

She nods, gritting her teeth as she rubs at her shoulder, feeling the bruise going deep into her muscle and bone. "Yeah, five by." She says, waving at him, "Pass it back, I got this."

He tosses her the gun back. Catching it she rises into a crouch, firing over her cover. She aims not at the mechs, but at a bank of pipes near them. Steam blasts forth, confusing them as she vaults over cover and steps up close range using kicks, her fists, and gun to take down the mechs close range. She leans on her knees, gasping for breath once the last falls and the steam clears.

"Shepard?" Jacob asks, running over. "What was that? Are you alright?"

"Improvising." She accepts his hand, standing up straighter. "I'm alright. Just winded."

"You've been out for a long time. You should be taking it easy."

"Tell that to the mechs." She scoffs as she turns away. "C'mon, your friend could be bleeding out as we dilly dally."

Jacob sighs but is impressed by Shepard's skills and resilience. Anyone else should've dropped by now after how long she's been out. He follows her out the hall and quickly takes the lead again.

Coming out of the halls they spot Wilson propped up against a low wall, an empty pistol by his side. He is shot in the lower leg, the bleeding is slow and steady. Jacob quickly kneels down to apply medigel and wrap up the wound. Shepard gets that strange feeling again, her gut is telling her this man can't be trusted, but she can't place why.

"Shepard." He says, surprised. "Damn, you are one tough bitch."

"Wilson."Jacob snaps at him. "Respect."

"What? She is."

Shepard just shakes her head. "Tough bitch or not. How did you get shot in the leg?"

"Stray round I guess. I don't know I was running away from the mechs." He has a certain whine to his voice that grates on Shepard's nerves, like he's a coward.

Shepard bites at her lip absently, thinking things over. Trying to pin down what it is that is so familiar about this man and why she can't trust him. The harder she tries to focus on it the more elusive it becomes. She grinds her teeth growling in frustration, rolling her aching shoulder and silently cursing all the aches and pains in her body.

"Are you alright Shepard?" Jacob stands up, helping Wilson to his feet.

"There's something I don't understand. How long was I out? What happened to me? Everything is a blur, I can't focus on any memories and it is driving me insane. I want answers."

Jacob bites his lip and looks to Wilson briefly. "I can't answer your questions. You'll have to wait for Miranda. she can better answer them than I can, I'm just security."

Shepard sighs, "Can you at least tell me where we are? Who you are. I recognize your insignia, but I can't place it."

This time it's Wilson who looks to Jacob and shakes his head. "No don't."

"She'll find out one way or another. It's better we're honest and up front."

"Well then?" Shepard sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"We work for Cerberus. We've been caring for you."

Shepard takes a step back, the name and symbol finally clicking in her memories. The Thresher maw nest was Cerberus. Countless testing facilities that were brutal experiments, all their anti alien politics. She raises her pistol and points it straight at Jacob. "Stay away from me. You people are disgusting."

He raises his hands warily at his sides, "Easy does it Shepard. We're on the same side here."

"We are not on the same side. What have you done? Why can't I remember anything right? What have you people done to me?"

"Look, if you let me lead you out of here, I promise to tell you everything."

"Tell me now, then I'll let you get me off this station."

"Look, this place is crawling with mechs. We're in too much danger here."

"Fine. Lead on. As soon as we're off this station and I get my answers, I'm out of here, we part ways."

"Deal." He waits for her to lower her gun before he lowers his arms and takes the lead, drawing his gun again. He leads her and Wilson through more back halls. They encounter a few more small skirmishes with mechs before finally exiting into a shuttle bay.


End file.
